Vehicle control system and automobile

Abstract

This application provides a vehicle control system and an automobile, relating to the field of automotive technology. The system includes: a drive-by-wire chassis controller, an actuator, an intelligent driving control unit integrated on a central control unit, and a cockpit control unit; the cockpit control unit is communicatively connected to the drive-by-wire chassis controller; the actuator is communicatively connected to both the intelligent driving control unit and the drive-by-wire chassis controller; the intelligent driving control unit is connected to multiple sets of intelligent driving sensors, and at least one set of these sensors is communicatively connected to the cockpit control unit. This application employs multiple redundancy backup mechanisms, including sensor backup and communication backup, to ensure that the system can maintain basic driving functions under single-point or multi-point failures, ensuring that vehicle control capability is not lost, thereby guaranteeing vehicle driving safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive technology, and more specifically, to a vehicle control system and an automobile. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of intelligent driving technology, the complexity of vehicle control systems is increasing, making vehicle driving safety an increasingly important issue.

[0003] Existing vehicle control systems mainly include those based on distributed architecture, domain-centralized architecture, and central-plus-regional architecture. However, because existing vehicle control systems typically rely on a single communication link to transmit control commands and a single processing unit to process control commands, they face a severe risk of single point of failure. If the communication link is interrupted or the processing unit fails, the vehicle will lose its intelligent driving capabilities and may even be unable to maintain basic control functions, thereby compromising vehicle driving safety. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to address the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a vehicle control system and automobile, thereby solving the problem that when the vehicle control system in the prior art faces a malfunction, the vehicle will lose its intelligent driving ability or even be unable to maintain basic control functions, thus failing to ensure vehicle driving safety.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solutions adopted in the embodiments of this application are as follows: In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle control system, the system comprising: a drive-by-wire chassis controller, an execution unit, an intelligent driving control unit integrated on a central control unit, and a cockpit control unit; the cockpit control unit is communicatively connected to the drive-by-wire chassis controller; the execution unit is communicatively connected to both the intelligent driving control unit and the drive-by-wire chassis controller; the intelligent driving control unit is connected to multiple sets of intelligent driving sensors that serve as backups for each other, and at least one set of the multiple sets of intelligent driving sensors is communicatively connected to the cockpit control unit; When the vehicle is in the first driving mode, the intelligent driving control unit generates a first control command based on the data collected by the intelligent driving sensor and sends the first control command to the drive-by-wire chassis controller; the drive-by-wire chassis controller processes the first control command to generate a second control command and sends the second control command to the execution unit; the execution unit performs the corresponding control operation according to the second control command. When the vehicle is in a second driving mode where the intelligent driving control unit is malfunctioning, the cockpit control unit generates a third control command based on the data collected by the intelligent driving sensors and sends the third control command to the drive-by-wire chassis controller; the drive-by-wire chassis controller processes the third control command to generate a fourth control command and sends the fourth control command to the execution unit, and the execution unit performs the corresponding control operation based on the fourth control command.

[0006] In this embodiment, firstly, the intelligent driving control unit connects to multiple sets of intelligent driving sensors that serve as backups for each other. At least one set of these sensors is communicatively connected to the cockpit control unit. This sensor backup ensures that even if the intelligent driving control unit fails, the cockpit control unit can still receive sensor data to generate control commands, maintaining basic vehicle control functions and ensuring the vehicle can autonomously and safely park in a safe area. Secondly, regardless of whether the vehicle is in the first driving mode or the second driving mode where the intelligent driving control unit has failed, the drive-by-wire chassis controller can convert the control commands output by the intelligent driving control unit or the cockpit control unit into control commands recognizable by the execution unit and drive the execution unit to execute them, ensuring that vehicle control capability is not lost, thereby guaranteeing vehicle driving safety. Furthermore, the drive-by-wire chassis controller and the central control unit are connected via a CANFD communication line. The execution unit communicates with both the intelligent driving control unit and the drive-by-wire chassis controller via dual CANFD communication lines. Since the intelligent driving control unit's ADC is integrated into the central control unit, the communication connection between the intelligent driving control unit and the drive-by-wire chassis controller actually includes both Ethernet and CANFD communication methods. Therefore, if either the Ethernet or CANFD communication line fails, normal communication between the intelligent driving control unit and the drive-by-wire chassis controller can still be ensured through the other type of communication line. In this way, communication backup effectively guarantees normal communication between the intelligent driving control unit and the drive-by-wire chassis controller.

[0007] As one possible implementation, the execution unit is communicatively connected to the intelligent driving control unit via a first communication line and a second communication line that serve as backups for each other; The execution unit is connected to the drive-by-wire chassis controller via a third and a fourth communication line that serve as backups for each other.

[0008] In this embodiment, the execution unit communicates with the intelligent driving control unit through a first and a second communication line that serve as backups for each other, and communicates with the drive-by-wire chassis controller through a third and a fourth communication line that serve as backups for each other. It can be seen that dual redundant communication links are provided between the execution unit and the intelligent driving control unit and the drive-by-wire chassis controller. Even if one of the communication lines fails, the control command can still be reliably transmitted to the execution unit for execution through the other communication line.

[0009] As one possible implementation, the execution unit includes: multiple execution sub-units, each execution sub-unit being connected to the intelligent driving control unit via a corresponding first sub-communication line and a second sub-communication line, and each execution sub-unit being connected to the drive-by-wire chassis controller via a corresponding third sub-communication line and a fourth sub-communication line. The plurality of execution sub-units include: a battery management system, a motor controller, an on-board charger, a DC-DC converter, a steering wheel actuator, a steering rack actuator, an electronic stability control system, and a brake-by-wire actuator.

[0010] In the embodiments of this application, each execution subunit is connected to the intelligent driving control unit and the drive-by-wire chassis controller through mutually redundant sub-communication lines. Even if one of the sub-communication lines fails, normal communication between each execution subunit and the intelligent driving control unit and the drive-by-wire chassis controller can still be ensured through the other sub-communication line.

[0011] As one possible implementation, the cockpit control unit and the intelligent driving control unit communicate via inter-board communication.

[0012] In this embodiment, the cockpit control unit and the intelligent driving control unit are integrated on the central control unit, and the cockpit control unit and the intelligent driving control unit communicate with each other through inter-board communication. Compared with the prior art where the cockpit control unit and the intelligent driving control unit adopt independent separate architectures, this significantly improves performance and communication efficiency, reduces hardware costs and optimizes layout. More importantly, the cockpit control unit and the intelligent driving control unit are integrated on the same board, and the system-on-a-chip inside the cockpit control unit and the system-on-a-chip inside the intelligent driving control unit can achieve efficient sharing of computing resources through high-bandwidth inter-board communication.

[0013] As one possible implementation, the vehicle control system further includes: multiple area controllers, each of which is communicatively connected to the central control unit via an Ethernet line; When the vehicle is in the third driving mode where the drive-by-wire chassis controller and the intelligent driving control unit are ineffective, the area controller receives the fifth control command sent by the cockpit control unit via the Ethernet line, and controls the execution unit to perform the corresponding control operation according to the fifth control command; When the vehicle is in the fourth driving mode where the drive-by-wire chassis controller and the cockpit control unit are malfunctioning, the area controller receives a sixth control command sent by the intelligent driving control unit and controls the execution unit to perform the corresponding control operation according to the sixth control command.

[0014] In this embodiment, regardless of whether the vehicle is in the third driving mode where the drive-by-wire chassis controller and intelligent driving control unit fail, or in the fourth driving mode where the drive-by-wire chassis controller and cockpit control unit fail, the area controller can still receive control commands normally and control the execution unit to perform the corresponding control operations, ensuring that the vehicle control system can still maintain basic driving functions in the event of multiple failures.

[0015] As one possible implementation, the area controller includes a left front area controller, a right front area controller, and a rear area controller; The first communication interface of the left front area controller is connected to the execution unit via a CANFD communication line. The second communication interface of the left front area controller is connected to the intelligent driving control unit and the cockpit control unit via an Ethernet line. The third communication interface of the left front area controller is connected to the first communication interface of the rear area controller via a CANFD communication line. The second communication interface of the rear area controller is connected to the intelligent driving control unit and the cockpit control unit via an Ethernet line. The first communication interface of the right front area controller is connected to the intelligent driving control unit and the cockpit control unit via an Ethernet line.

[0016] In this embodiment, the area controller communicates with the intelligent driving control unit and the cockpit control unit via a high-bandwidth Ethernet line, ensuring real-time transmission of data or commands. Simultaneously, communication between area controllers and between area controllers and execution units is achieved via CANFD communication lines, satisfying the control requirements of the execution units while ensuring communication security and quality through a multi-path redundancy mechanism.

[0017] As one possible implementation, the drive-by-wire chassis controller is connected to the brake pedal and accelerator pedal in the vehicle, respectively, and the left front area controller is connected to the brake pedal and accelerator pedal, respectively. When the vehicle is in the fifth driving mode, the drive-by-wire chassis controller determines the driver's intention based on the feedback information from the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal, generates driving instructions based on the driver's intention, and controls the execution unit to perform corresponding control operations based on the driving instructions. When the vehicle is in the sixth driving mode where the drive-by-wire chassis controller fails, the left front area controller determines the driver's intention based on the feedback information from the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal, generates driving instructions based on the driver's intention, and controls the execution unit to perform corresponding control operations based on the driving instructions.

[0018] In this embodiment, regardless of whether the vehicle is in the fifth driving mode or the sixth driving mode where the drive-by-wire chassis controller fails, the driver's intention can still be determined based on the feedback information from the brake pedal and accelerator pedal, and driving commands can be generated to control the execution unit to perform the corresponding control operations, ensuring that the vehicle control system can still maintain basic driving functions, thereby ensuring vehicle driving safety.

[0019] As one possible implementation, the fourth communication interface of the left front area controller is connected to the left front headlight module of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line to control the left front headlight of the vehicle; the fifth communication interface of the left front area controller is connected to the left front door controller of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line to control the left front door of the vehicle; and the sixth communication interface of the left front area controller is connected to the multi-function steering wheel of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line to control the multi-function steering wheel. The third communication interface of the rear area controller is connected to the taillight module of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line for controlling the taillights. The fourth communication interface of the rear area controller is connected to the low-voltage lithium battery management system of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line for controlling the low-voltage lithium battery management system. The second communication interface of the right front area controller is connected to the right front headlight module of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line to control the right front headlight of the vehicle. The third communication interface of the right front area controller is connected to the right front door controller of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line to control the right front door of the vehicle.

[0020] In this embodiment, CANFD communication lines are used to connect loads such as headlights, doors, steering wheel, and low-voltage lithium battery management system distributed in different areas to the corresponding area controllers, ensuring the real-time performance and reliability of key functions such as lighting control, door response, and battery management.

[0021] As one possible implementation, the intelligent driving control unit includes multiple processing chips that serve as backups for each other, and each processing chip includes a system-on-a-chip and a microcontroller chip.

[0022] In this embodiment, the intelligent driving control unit includes multiple processing chips that serve as backups for each other. If one processing chip fails, the intelligent driving control unit can still process the data collected by the intelligent driving sensors through another processing chip to generate control commands. Thus, even if a single point of failure occurs in a processing chip, the capability of the intelligent driving control unit will not be affected; it can still process the data collected by the intelligent driving sensors and output control commands, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the vehicle's intelligent driving functions.

[0023] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide an automobile, including the vehicle control system described in any of the first aspects.

[0024] Based on the vehicle control system provided in this application embodiment, regardless of the vehicle's driving mode, in the face of single or multiple point failures such as failure of the intelligent driving control unit or failure of the drive-by-wire chassis controller, the vehicle control system can still maintain basic driving functions under single or multiple point failures through multiple redundancy backup mechanisms such as sensor backup and communication backup, thereby ensuring vehicle driving safety. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the architecture of a vehicle control system provided in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the architecture of another vehicle control system provided in an embodiment of this application is shown; Figure 3 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the control principle of a vehicle in a first driving mode according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the control principle of a vehicle in a second driving mode according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the control principle of a vehicle in a third driving mode according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the control principle of a vehicle in a fourth driving mode according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the control principle of a vehicle in a fifth driving mode according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 8 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the control principle of a vehicle in a sixth driving mode according to an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Reference numerals: HPC-10; ADC-101; CDC-102; Actuation Unit-11; XCU-12; Intelligent Driving Sensor-13; Brake Pedal-14; Accelerator Pedal-15; ZCM_FL-16; ZCM_R-17; ZCM_FR-18; LCU_FR-19; DCU_FR-20; LCU_FL-21; DCU_FL-22; MFW-23; LCU_R-24; LBMS-25; TBOX-26; Switch-27; SOC-28; MCU-29; AI-30; BMS-110; MCU-111; OBC / DCDC-112; SWA-113; SRA-114; ESC-115; BWA-116. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings in this application are for illustrative and descriptive purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Furthermore, it should be understood that the schematic drawings are not drawn to scale. The flowcharts used in this application illustrate operations implemented according to some embodiments of this application. It should be understood that the operations in the flowcharts may not be implemented in sequence, and steps without logical contextual relationships may be reversed or implemented simultaneously. In addition, those skilled in the art, guided by the content of this application, may add one or more other operations to the flowcharts, or remove one or more operations from the flowcharts.

[0029] Furthermore, the described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. The components of the embodiments of this application described and illustrated herein can typically be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0030] It should be noted that the term "comprising" will be used in the embodiments of this application to indicate the presence of the features declared thereafter, but does not exclude the addition of other features.

[0031] Before providing a detailed description of the vehicle control system provided in the embodiments of this application, the relevant terms used in this application will be introduced first: The central control unit (High-performance computing, HPC) is a high-performance computing unit that includes the Autonomous Driving Domain Controller (ADC) and the Cockpit Domain Controller (CDC). The ADC is used for autonomous driving domain control, while the CDC is used for cockpit domain control.

[0032] The system includes: X-controller unit (XCU), Battery Management System (BMS), Motor Control Unit (MCU), Onboard Charger (OBC), Direct Current Converter (DCDC), Steering Wheel Actuator (SWA), Steering Rack Actuator (SRA), Electronic Stability Controller (ESC), Brake by Wire Actuator (BWA), Multi-Function Steering Wheel (MFW), Low-voltage Battery Management System (LBMS), System on a Chip (SOC), Microcontroller Unit (MCU), Ethernet Switch, and Telematics Box (TBOX).

[0033] The Zone Control Unit module (ZCM) includes the left front zone controller ZCM_FL, the right front zone controller ZCM_FR, and the rear zone controller ZCM_R. Among them, _FL, _FR, and _R are all orientation indicators, with _FL representing left front, _FR representing right front, and _R representing rear.

[0034] The headlight module (Light Control Unit, LCU) includes: left front headlight module LCU_FL, taillight module LCU_R, and right front headlight module LCU_FR.

[0035] The door control unit (DCU) includes: left front door controller DCU_FL and right front door controller DCU_FR.

[0036] Ethernet line: A communication line based on the Ethernet communication protocol. Ethernet is designed for high bandwidth and large data volume transmission, and features extremely high speed, large data packets, and strong versatility.

[0037] CANFD communication line: A communication line based on the Controller Area Network with Flexible Data-Rate (CANFD) protocol. CANFD is an upgraded version of the classic CAN bus and is mainly used in embedded systems with extremely high reliability requirements, such as automobiles and industrial automation.

[0038] The embodiments provided in this application Figures 1 to 8 In the diagram, the different communication methods between the various components are represented by different line types. Solid lines represent CANFD communication, dashed lines represent hard lines, and dotted lines represent Ethernet communication.

[0039] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the architecture of a vehicle control system according to an embodiment of this application is shown. (Refer to...) Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle control system includes: a drive-by-wire chassis controller XCU 12, an actuator 11, an intelligent driving control unit ADC 101 integrated on the central control unit HPC 10, and a cockpit control unit CDC 102.

[0040] Optionally, CDC 102 is communicatively connected to XCU 12, and execution unit 11 is communicatively connected to ADC 101 and XCU 12 respectively. ADC 101 is connected to multiple sets of intelligent driving sensors 13 that serve as backups for each other, such as... Figure 1 The intelligent driving sensor group A and intelligent driving sensor group B are shown, and at least one of the multiple intelligent driving sensor groups 13 is communicatively connected to CDC 102, as shown. Figure 1 The intelligent driving sensor group B shown is communicatively connected to CDC 102. Exemplarily, each intelligent driving sensor group 102 establishes a communication connection with ADC 101 and CDC 102 via hardwired connections. Each intelligent driving sensor group 102 includes various types of sensors, such as cameras, LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, and ultrasonic radar.

[0041] In this embodiment, multiple sets of intelligent driving sensors 13 serve as backups for each other, and each set includes various types of sensors. Therefore, if one sensor fails, other types of sensors can still collect data normally without affecting vehicle control. Furthermore, the multiple sets of intelligent driving sensors 13 are positioned separately on the vehicle, thus preventing simultaneous damage to multiple sets and ensuring more comprehensive data collection.

[0042] Furthermore, at least one set of intelligent driving sensors 13 is communicatively connected to the CDC 102. Based on this, if the ADC 101 fails, the data collected by the intelligent driving sensors 13 can still be transmitted to the CDC 102, which then takes over vehicle control from the ADC 101. Thus, through intelligent driving sensor backup, even if the ADC 101 fails, vehicle control can still continue through the CDC 102 without affecting the operation of the intelligent driving algorithm or the output of control commands, i.e., without affecting the normal implementation of intelligent driving functions, thereby meeting the requirements for assisted driving control.

[0043] The ADC 101 and CDC 102 communicate with each other via board-to-board communication, or optionally via a high-speed serial bus (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express, PCIE).

[0044] Optionally, CDC 102 and XCU 12 are connected via an Ethernet line. Execution unit 11 is connected to ADC 101 via a first and second communication line, which serve as backups for each other. Simultaneously, execution unit 11 is connected to XCU 12 via a third and fourth communication line, which also serve as backups for each other. The first, second, third, and fourth communication lines are CANFD communication lines. (Refer to...) Figure 1 As shown, two lines are led upward from the left and right ends of the execution unit 11 to connect to the ADC 101. These two lines are the first communication line and the second communication line. At the same time, two lines are led downward from the left and right ends of the execution unit to connect to the XCU 12. These two lines are the third communication line and the fourth communication line.

[0045] Optionally, XCU 12 can receive control commands sent from ADC 101 or CDC 102, and then convert the control commands into commands corresponding to execution unit 11 to realize the control of driving commands to the actual vehicle.

[0046] It is worth noting that the execution unit 11 communicates with the ADC 101 via a first and a second communication line that serve as backups for each other. Simultaneously, the execution unit 11 communicates with the XCU 12 via a third and a fourth communication line that also serve as backups for each other. In other words, the execution unit 11 has dual-path communication connections with both the ADC 101 and the XCU 12. Therefore, if one of the first or second communication lines fails, normal communication between the execution unit 11 and the ADC 101 can still be maintained through the other line. Similarly, if one of the third or fourth communication lines fails, normal communication between the execution unit 11 and the XCU 12 can still be maintained through the other line. Furthermore, XCU 12 and HPC 10 are connected via a CANFD communication line. Execution unit 11 is connected to ADC 101 and XCU 12 via dual CANFD communication lines. Since ADC 101 is integrated into HPC 10, the communication connection between ADC 101 and XCU 12 actually includes both Ethernet and CANFD communication methods. Therefore, if either the Ethernet or CANFD communication line fails, normal communication between ADC 101 and XCU 12 can still be maintained through the other communication line. Thus, this embodiment effectively ensures normal communication between ADC 101 and XCU 12 through communication backup.

[0047] As one possible implementation, the execution unit 11 includes multiple execution sub-units. Each execution sub-unit is connected to the ADC 101 via a corresponding first sub-communication line and a second sub-communication line, and is connected to the XCU 12 via a corresponding third sub-communication line and a fourth sub-communication line. It should be noted that the execution unit 11 contains multiple execution sub-units. The first communication line mentioned in the above description is, for example, a complete line in the figure, while the first sub-communication line refers to a segment of a line corresponding to a single execution sub-unit. That is, the first communication line contains multiple segments of the first sub-communication line. Similarly, the relationships between the second communication line and the second sub-communication line, the third communication line and the third sub-communication line, and the fourth communication line and the fourth sub-communication line are similar.

[0048] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the architecture of another vehicle control system provided in an embodiment of this application is shown. (Refer to...) Figure 2As shown, the multiple execution sub-units include: Battery Management System (BMS) 110, Motor Controller (MCU) 111, On-Board Charger (OBC) / DC Converter (DCDC) 112, Steering Wheel Actuator (SWA) 113, Steering Rack Actuator (SRA) 114, Electronic Stability Control System (ESC) 115, and Brake-by-Wire Actuator (BWA) 116. Specifically, BMS 110 implements power-related execution control; MCU 111 is responsible for drive motor-related execution control; OBC / DCDC 112 are responsible for charging-related execution control and converting the high-voltage output from the power battery into the low-voltage required by electrical appliances, respectively; SWA 113 is responsible for the upward control of steer-by-wire, simulating the feel of steering wheel rotation, including damping and force feedback; SRA 114 controls the steering motor to achieve wheel steering; ESC 115 is responsible for vehicle stability-related control; and BWA 116 is responsible for brake-by-wire-related control.

[0049] Optionally, continue to refer to Figure 2 As shown, taking BMS 110 as an example, two lines are led upwards from both ends of BMS 110 to communicate with ADC 101. These two lines are the first and second sub-communication lines corresponding to BMS 110. Simultaneously, two lines are led downwards from both ends of BMS 110 to communicate with XCU 12. These two lines are the third and fourth sub-communication lines corresponding to BMS 110. Similarly, for other execution sub-units, each execution sub-unit has two lines led upwards from both ends to communicate with ADC 101 (the first and second sub-communication lines corresponding to the execution sub-unit) and two lines led downwards to communicate with XCU 12 (the third and fourth sub-communication lines corresponding to the execution sub-unit). Further details are omitted here.

[0050] Optionally, continue to refer to Figure 2 As shown, HPC 10, acting as the central domain controller, integrates not only ADC 101 and CDC 102, as well as some vehicle body control functions, but also an Ethernet switch, Switch 27. Switch 27 acts as an Ethernet gateway for forwarding Ethernet signals. Additionally, HPC 10 communicates with TBOX 26 via Ethernet lines.

[0051] Optionally, continue to refer to Figure 2As shown, CDC 102, as the cockpit domain control unit, includes the cockpit SOC 28 and A30I computing chip, which are used to realize cockpit control and AI 30 computing-related functions. It is also connected to the intelligent driving sensor 13. However, when the main intelligent driving control unit ADC 101 fails, CDC 102 can take over and continue to perform limited intelligent driving, such as automatically finding a safe location and parking on the side of the road.

[0052] Optionally, continue to refer to Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle control system also includes multiple zone controllers (ZCMs), each of which communicates with the HPC 10 via Ethernet lines. These ZCMs include the left front zone controller ZCM_FL16, the right front zone controller ZCM_FR18, and the rear zone controller ZCM_R17. It should be noted that each ZCM is responsible for the access and control of the zone's controllers, sensors, and actuators. The number of ZCMs can be three or more, as illustrated in this example, and the specific number can be determined based on the division of physical areas for zone control; no specific limitation is imposed here.

[0053] For example, the first communication interface of ZCM_FL 16 is connected to the execution unit 11 via a CANFD communication line; the second communication interface of ZCM_FL 16 is connected to ADC 101 and CDC 102 via an Ethernet line; the third communication interface of ZCM_FL 16 is connected to the first communication interface of ZCM_R 17 via a CANFD communication line; the fourth communication interface of ZCM_FL 16 is connected to the vehicle's left front headlight module LCU_FL 21 via a CANFD communication line for controlling the vehicle's left front headlight; the fifth communication interface of ZCM_FL 16 is connected to the vehicle's left front door controller DCU_FL22 via a CANFD communication line for controlling the vehicle's left front door; and the sixth communication interface of ZCM_FL 16 is connected to the vehicle's multifunction steering wheel MFW 23 via a CANFD communication line for controlling the multifunction steering wheel.

[0054] For example, XCU 12 is connected to the brake pedal 14 and accelerator pedal 15 in the vehicle via hard wires, and ZCM_FL 16 is also connected to the brake pedal 14 and accelerator pedal 15 via hard wires.

[0055] For example, the second communication interface of ZCM_R 17 is connected to ADC 101 and CDC 102 via Ethernet line, the third communication interface of ZCM_R 17 is connected to the taillight module LCU_R 24 of the vehicle via CANFD communication line for controlling the taillights, and the fourth communication interface of ZCM_R 17 is connected to the low-voltage lithium battery management system LBMS 25 of the vehicle via CANFD communication line for controlling the low-voltage lithium battery management system.

[0056] For example, the first communication interface of ZCM_FR 18 is connected to ADC 101 and CDC 102 via an Ethernet line, the second communication interface of ZCM_FR 18 is connected to the right front headlight module LCU_FR 19 of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line, and is used to control the right front headlight of the vehicle. The third communication interface of ZCM_FR 18 is connected to the right front door controller DCU_FR 20 of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line, and is used to control the right front door of the vehicle.

[0057] Optionally, continue to refer to Figure 2 As shown, the ADC 101, serving as the main intelligent driving control unit, includes multiple processing chips that act as backups for each other. Each processing chip includes a system-on-a-chip (SoC) 28 and a microcontroller chip (MCU) 29. The ADC 101 connects to multiple sets of intelligent driving sensors 13, receives data sent by the sensors, and performs fusion processing on the received data through the processing chips to output control commands, as well as run autonomous driving algorithms, control calculations, and decision-making. It should be noted that the SOC 28 has a much larger computing power than the MCU 29. In this application, the generation of control commands requires a significant amount of computing power, so the generation of control commands is mainly handled by the SOC 28, while the MCU 29 is only responsible for processing some other simpler commands with lower computing power requirements.

[0058] Furthermore, multiple processing chips serve as backups for each other. If one processing chip fails, the ADC 101 can still process the data collected by the intelligent driving sensor 13 through another processing chip to generate control commands. Figure 2 Taking SOC1, SOC2, MCU1, and MCU2 as examples, if SOC1 fails or is damaged, SOC2 can take over and operate normally. Similarly, if MCU1 fails or is damaged, MCU2 can take over and operate normally. Therefore, when a single point of failure exists, such as a single SOC or a single MCU failure, it will not affect the ADC 101's ability to run the intelligent driving algorithm, process the data collected by the intelligent driving sensors, and output control commands, ensuring the normal implementation of the vehicle's intelligent driving functions.

[0059] It is worth noting that in the vehicle control system provided in this application embodiment, multiple independent intelligent driving sensors 13 are backups of each other, and the processing chips inside the ADC 101 are backups of each other, thus avoiding single-point failure of the intelligent driving sensors 13 and the ADC 101.

[0060] Based on the above description of the vehicle control system architecture provided in the embodiments of this application, the control methods under various driving modes provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below.

[0061] Figure 3 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the control principle of a vehicle in a first driving mode according to an embodiment of this application. (Refer to...) Figure 3 As shown, when the vehicle is in the first driving mode, i.e., the normal intelligent driving mode, the control link is ADC-XCU-execution unit. See details... Figure 3 The gray-marked units represent the components of the control chain in this first driving mode. Specifically, the ADC 101 generates a first control command based on the data collected by the intelligent driving sensor 13, and sends the first control command to the XCU 12. The XCU 12 processes the first control command to generate a second control command, and sends the second control command to the execution unit 11. The execution unit 11 executes the corresponding control operation according to the second control command.

[0062] For example, when the vehicle is in the first driving mode, the ADC 101 collects the data collected by the smart sensor 13 and performs data fusion processing, outputs a first control command, and transmits the first control command to the XCU 12 through the CANFD communication line. After internal processing and arbitration, the XCU 12 converts the first control command into a second control command for the corresponding execution unit 11, and transmits the second control command to the corresponding execution unit 11 through the CANFD communication line. The execution unit 11 performs the corresponding control operation according to the second control command and reports the status.

[0063] It is worth noting that, because the ADC 101 is equipped with dual SOCs and dual MCUs, as well as multiple sets of intelligent driving sensors, a single point of failure, such as a single SOC, single MCU, or single intelligent driving sensor malfunction, will not affect the ADC 101's operation of the intelligent driving algorithm and output of control commands. Furthermore, since the execution unit 11 communicates with both the ADC 101 and XCU 12 via two CANFD channels, a single network segment failure will not affect information transmission. Therefore, when the vehicle is in normal intelligent driving mode, single-point failures in sensors, chips, or communication will not affect the normal implementation of intelligent driving functions.

[0064] Figure 4 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the control principle of a vehicle in a second driving mode according to an embodiment of this application. (Refer to...) Figure 4As shown, when the vehicle is in the second driving mode, which is the minimum intelligent driving mode where ADC 101 is disabled, the control link is CDC-XCU-execution unit. See details... Figure 4 The units marked in gray represent the components of the control link in this second driving mode. Specifically, when the vehicle is in the second driving mode where the ADC 101 is disabled, the CDC 102 generates a third control command based on the data collected by the intelligent driving sensor 13, and sends the third control command to the XCU 12. The XCU 12 processes the third control command to generate a fourth control command, and sends the fourth control command to the execution unit 11. The execution unit 11 executes the corresponding control operation according to the fourth control command.

[0065] For example, when the vehicle is in the second driving mode where the ADC 101 fails, the CDC 102, having deployed some intelligent driving algorithms and connected to some intelligent driving sensors, can take over the intelligent driving function when the ADC 101 fails. Specifically, the CDC 102 collects data from the intelligent sensor 13 and performs data fusion processing, outputs a third control command, and transmits the third control command to the XCU 12 via an Ethernet line. The XCU 12, after internal processing and arbitration, converts the third control command into a fourth control command for the corresponding execution unit 11, and transmits the fourth control command to the corresponding execution unit 11 via a CANFD communication line. The execution unit 11 executes the corresponding control operation according to the fourth control command and reports the status.

[0066] Figure 5 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the control principle of a vehicle in a third driving mode according to an embodiment of this application. (Refer to...) Figure 5 As shown, when the vehicle is in the third driving mode, which is the minimum intelligent driving mode where ADC 101 and XCU 12 are ineffective, the control link is CDC-ZCM-execution unit. See details... Figure 5 The gray-marked units are components of the control link in this third driving mode. Specifically, when the vehicle is in the third driving mode where ADC 101 and XCU 12 are disabled, ZCM receives the fifth control command sent by CDC 102 via Ethernet line, and controls the execution unit 11 to perform the corresponding control operation according to the fifth control command.

[0067] For example, when the vehicle is in the third driving mode where ADC 101 and XCU 12 are disabled, since the ZCM deploys power, braking, and steering control related functions, and the CDC 102 and ZCM are connected via Ethernet, the ZCM can still receive the fifth control command sent by the CDC 102 via Ethernet. Specifically, ZCM_FL 16 receives the fifth control command sent by ADC 101 via Ethernet to control the execution unit 11 accordingly, thereby realizing the minimum intelligent driving function. Therefore, based on the vehicle control system provided in this application embodiment, even if ADC 101 and XCU 12 are disabled, the minimum intelligent driving function can still be realized.

[0068] Figure 6 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the control principle of a vehicle in a fourth driving mode according to an embodiment of this application. (Refer to...) Figure 6 As shown, when the vehicle is in the fourth driving mode, which is the minimum intelligent driving mode where CDC 102 and XCU 12 are disabled, the control link is ADC-ZCM-execution unit. See details... Figure 6 The gray-marked units represent the components of the control link in this fourth driving mode. Specifically, when the vehicle is in the fourth driving mode where CDC 102 and XCU 12 are disabled, ZCM receives the sixth control command sent by ADC 101 via the Ethernet line, and controls the execution unit 11 to perform the corresponding control operation according to the sixth control command.

[0069] For example, when the vehicle is in the fourth driving mode where CDC 102 and XCU 12 are malfunctioning, since the ZCM and ADC 101 communicate via an Ethernet line, the ZCM can still receive the sixth control command sent by the ADC 101 via the Ethernet line. Specifically, ZCM_FL 16 receives the sixth control command sent by the ADC 101 via the Ethernet line and controls the execution unit 11 accordingly, thereby realizing the minimum intelligent driving function. Furthermore, even if the Ethernet line between ZCM_FL 16 and ADC 101 fails, since ZCM_FL 16 and ADC 101 are still connected via a single CANFD line, ZCM_FL 16 can still normally receive the fifth control command sent by the ADC 101.

[0070] It is worth noting that, based on Figures 4-6 Regardless of the fault that occurs in the control links of the three driving modes shown, the vehicle control system provided in this application embodiment can achieve the minimum intelligent driving function.

[0071] Figure 7 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the control principle of a vehicle in a fifth driving mode according to an embodiment of this application. (Refer to...) Figure 7As shown, when the vehicle is in the fifth driving mode, which is also the normal driving mode, the control link is XCU-execution unit. See details... Figure 7 The units marked in gray represent the components of the control link in this fifth driving mode. Specifically, when the vehicle is in normal driving mode, the XCU 12 determines the driver's intention based on the feedback information from the brake pedal 14 and the accelerator pedal 15, generates driving commands based on the driver's intention, and controls the execution unit 11 to perform the corresponding control operations according to the driving commands.

[0072] For example, when the vehicle is in normal driving mode, since the XCU 12 is connected to the brake pedal 14 and the accelerator pedal 15 via hard wiring, the XCU 12 can receive signals from the brake pedal 14 and the accelerator pedal 15, understand the driver's intention through the feedback information from the brake pedal 14 and the accelerator pedal 15, generate corresponding driving commands based on the driver's intention, and send the driving commands to the corresponding execution unit 11 via the CANFD communication line to execute the corresponding control operation, thereby realizing the corresponding driving function.

[0073] Figure 8 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the control principle of a vehicle in a sixth driving mode according to an embodiment of this application. (Refer to...) Figure 8 As shown, when the vehicle is in the sixth driving mode, which is the minimum human-driven mode where XCU 12 fails, the control link is ZCM_FL - execution unit. See details. Figure 8 The units marked in gray represent the components of the control link in this sixth driving mode. Specifically, when the vehicle is in the sixth driving mode where XCU 12 is disabled, ZCM_FL 16 determines the driver's intention based on feedback information from the brake pedal 14 and accelerator pedal 15, generates driving commands based on the driver's intention, and controls the execution unit 11 to perform the corresponding control operations according to the driving commands.

[0074] For example, when the vehicle is in the sixth driving mode where XCU 12 is disabled, ZCM_FL 16 integrates power control, braking, and steering control functions. Since ZCM_FL 16 is hard-wired connected to the brake pedal 14 and accelerator pedal 15, it can receive signals from these pedals. By understanding the driver's intentions through feedback from these pedals, it generates corresponding driving commands and sends these commands to the corresponding execution unit 11 via the CANFD communication line to execute the corresponding control operations, thereby achieving the corresponding driving function. Therefore, even if XCU 12 is disabled, ZCM_FL 16 can still perform basic driving functions.

[0075] In summary, regardless of the driving mode of the vehicle, the vehicle control system provided in this application embodiment can realize the corresponding driving function through the corresponding control link in each driving mode, ensuring that the system can still maintain basic driving functions under single-point or multi-point failure, the vehicle can autonomously park in a safe area, the vehicle's control ability is not lost, and thus ensures vehicle driving safety.

[0076] This application also provides an automobile, including the vehicle control system described in any of the above embodiments.

[0077] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems and devices described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the method embodiments, and will not be repeated here. In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices, and methods can be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of modules is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. Furthermore, multiple modules or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the displayed or discussed mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection can be through some communication interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or modules can be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0078] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. If the functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this invention, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes: USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, optical disks, and other media capable of storing program code.

[0079] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A vehicle control system, characterized in that, include: Drive-by-wire chassis controller, actuator, intelligent driving control unit integrated on the central control unit, and cockpit control unit; The cockpit control unit is communicatively connected to the drive-by-wire chassis controller; the execution unit is communicatively connected to both the intelligent driving control unit and the drive-by-wire chassis controller; the intelligent driving control unit is connected to multiple sets of intelligent driving sensors, and at least one set of the intelligent driving sensors is communicatively connected to the cockpit control unit. When the vehicle is in the first driving mode, the intelligent driving control unit generates a first control command based on the data collected by the intelligent driving sensor and sends the first control command to the drive-by-wire chassis controller; the drive-by-wire chassis controller processes the first control command to generate a second control command and sends the second control command to the execution unit; the execution unit performs the corresponding control operation according to the second control command. When the vehicle is in a second driving mode where the intelligent driving control unit is malfunctioning, the cockpit control unit generates a third control command based on the data collected by the intelligent driving sensors and sends the third control command to the drive-by-wire chassis controller; the drive-by-wire chassis controller processes the third control command to generate a fourth control command and sends the fourth control command to the execution unit, and the execution unit performs the corresponding control operation based on the fourth control command.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The execution unit is connected to the intelligent driving control unit via a first communication line and a second communication line that serve as backups for each other. The execution unit is connected to the drive-by-wire chassis controller via a third and a fourth communication line that serve as backups for each other.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The execution unit includes: multiple execution sub-units, each execution sub-unit being connected to the intelligent driving control unit via a corresponding first sub-communication line and a second sub-communication line, and each execution sub-unit being connected to the drive-by-wire chassis controller via a corresponding third sub-communication line and a fourth sub-communication line. The plurality of execution sub-units include: a battery management system, a motor controller, an on-board charger, a DC-DC converter, a steering wheel actuator, a steering rack actuator, an electronic stability control system, and a brake-by-wire actuator.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cockpit control unit and the intelligent driving control unit communicate with each other via inter-board communication.

5. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The vehicle control system further includes: multiple area controllers, which are respectively connected to the central control unit via Ethernet lines; When the vehicle is in the third driving mode where the drive-by-wire chassis controller and the intelligent driving control unit are ineffective, the area controller receives the fifth control command sent by the cockpit control unit via the Ethernet line, and controls the execution unit to perform the corresponding control operation according to the fifth control command; When the vehicle is in the fourth driving mode where the drive-by-wire chassis controller and the cockpit control unit are malfunctioning, the area controller receives a sixth control command sent by the intelligent driving control unit and controls the execution unit to perform the corresponding control operation according to the sixth control command.

6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The area controller includes a left front area controller, a right front area controller, and a rear area controller; The first communication interface of the left front area controller is connected to the execution unit via a CANFD communication line. The second communication interface of the left front area controller is connected to the intelligent driving control unit and the cockpit control unit via an Ethernet line. The third communication interface of the left front area controller is connected to the first communication interface of the rear area controller via a CANFD communication line. The second communication interface of the rear area controller is connected to the intelligent driving control unit and the cockpit control unit via an Ethernet line. The first communication interface of the right front area controller is connected to the intelligent driving control unit and the cockpit control unit via an Ethernet line.

7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The drive-by-wire chassis controller is connected to the brake pedal and accelerator pedal in the vehicle, respectively; the left front area controller is connected to the brake pedal and accelerator pedal, respectively. When the vehicle is in the fifth driving mode, the drive-by-wire chassis controller determines the driver's intention based on the feedback information from the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal, generates driving instructions based on the driver's intention, and controls the execution unit to perform corresponding control operations based on the driving instructions. When the vehicle is in the sixth driving mode where the drive-by-wire chassis controller fails, the left front area controller determines the driver's intention based on the feedback information from the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal, generates driving instructions based on the driver's intention, and controls the execution unit to perform corresponding control operations based on the driving instructions.

8. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The fourth communication interface of the left front area controller is connected to the left front headlight module of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line to control the left front headlight of the vehicle. The fifth communication interface of the left front area controller is connected to the left front door controller of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line to control the left front door of the vehicle. The sixth communication interface of the left front area controller is connected to the multi-function steering wheel of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line to control the multi-function steering wheel. The third communication interface of the rear area controller is connected to the taillight module of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line for controlling the taillights. The fourth communication interface of the rear area controller is connected to the low-voltage lithium battery management system of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line for controlling the low-voltage lithium battery management system. The second communication interface of the right front area controller is connected to the right front headlight module of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line to control the right front headlight of the vehicle. The third communication interface of the right front area controller is connected to the right front door controller of the vehicle via a CANFD communication line to control the right front door of the vehicle.

9. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The intelligent driving control unit includes multiple processing chips that serve as backups for each other, and each processing chip includes a system-on-a-chip and a microcontroller chip.

10. A car, characterized in that, Includes the vehicle control system as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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